Nobel Winner Muhammad Yunus Opens Impact 2026

An event at Ca’ Foscari University to highlight how the 2026 Games can have an impact on sustainable initiatives and social integration.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, officially inaugurated the Impact 2026 programme this morning at the Santa Margherita Auditorium at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice.

Conceived by Prof. Yunus and realised by Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 together with Yunus Sports Hub and the Giacomo Brodolini Foundation, Impact 2026 aims to promote local economic development through sport and leave a positive and lasting legacy to the areas hosting the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

In his speech, Prof. Muhammad Yunus underlined the commitment to a ‘World of 3 Zeros’: zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. As Yunus explains, a three-zero world offers a perspective that considers the interconnection between economy, society, and atmosphere, based on the idea of the world evolving towards a society without poverty, unemployment or net emissions of CO2. This vision stands as a new paradigm for the global economy, where economic and social policies focus on the well-being of people and nature.

Prof. Muhammad Yunus ended by stressing the importance of sharing skills when working together and said he was happy to collaborate with the Organising Committee of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games for this important initiative.

Today's meeting, which got underway with a speech by the Dean, Tiziana Lippiello, and greetings from the Deputy Mayor of Venice, Andrea Tomaello, and Francesca Scatto, President of the Veneto Region VI Commission "Policies for education, training and work, policies for research, policies for culture, tourism and sport", was an opportunity to underline the importance and impact that the Games can as a real catalyst for sustainable initiatives and to promote social integration.

Impact 2026 is committed to creating a positive impact, involving social entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises and SMEs in the opportunities generated by Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026.